Pleasant Hill is responding to seven arrests for "alleged prostitution" at its local massage parlors by requiring "a police permit" for massage providers, according to reports.
The crackdown follows the signing of the Massage Therapy Reform Act, which became law in California in September, after at least four massage therapists had been arrested in Pleasant Hill over the summer, the Contra Costa Times reports.
There are 40 massage parlors in Pleasant Hill, more than in nearby cities that have more people, the newspaper noted.
While officials are not yet declaring the issue a "problem," officials did note "the more we look into it, the more we're finding violations," a police spokesman told the newspaper.
A massage parlor that's had problems can be shut down by zoning officials rather than law enforcement.
Massage therapists are also supposed to receive certification from the state, which they can lose for a prostitution-related arrest.
